Type wheel actuating means in settable printing machines



TYPE WHEEL ACTUATING MEANS IN SETTABLE PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 9, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ril 30, 1957 .1. mosssc ETAL 2,790,331

TYPE WHEEL ACTUATING MEANS IN SETTABLE PRINTING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1953 llllllfl M E H U man nub UHIIIICIDDU J. MIOSSEC ET AL 2,790,381

April 30, 1957 TYPE WHEEL ACTUATING MEANS IN SETTABLE PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 9. 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 30, 1957 J. MIOSSEC ETAL 2,790,331

TYPE WHEEL ACTUATING MEANS IN SEITTABLE PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 9, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 A ril 30,1957 J, QS EC Em 2,790,381

TYPE WHEEL ACTUATING MEANS IN SETTABLE PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 9, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 1957 J. Mlosslzc E A; 2,790,381

TYPE WHEEL ACTUATING MEANS IN SETTABLE PRINTING MACHINES Fil ed June 9. 1953 e Sheets-Sheet 6 Mg. 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I 0 H I2 13 I4 15 196 United States PatentO TYPE WHEEL ACTUATING MEANSlN-SETTABLE PRINTING MACHINES Jean Miossec and Rene Perret, Paris,;France, .assignors to Compagnie des Machinesv Bull (Societe Anonyme), Paris, France I 7 Application June 9, 1953, Serial No.;36.0,462

' ,Claims priority, application France June 18, 1952 Claims.. (Cl. .101---91').

The present invention refers generally to a printing device comprising type wheels which are rotated by -a motor driven mechanism by means of meshing gear wheels, and in which the type wheel, while in rotation is displaced in the plane of the wheel, in a-manner which neutralizes the rotating movement of the wheel for a selected type thereon, the wheel being simultaneously displaced in a striking movement towards the paper, so

that the selected type may-be printed on the paper.

The invention especially concerns a device for aligning the types to be printed of the several type wheelsyat the moment of the striking movement.

A machine to which the present invention could be applied is described in United States Patent No. 2,046,464,

filed on March 30, 1933, and also in United States Patent -No. 1,971,860 filed on March 10, 1933. I

The use of printing devices of the "above. described ice Fig. '6 is an elevational'view, partlyin section, of a wheel alignment device constructed in accordance with another embodiment of this invention and shown in the position of rest thereof;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6, but showing the device in the operating position thereof for effecting alignment of a type-wheel during the striking movement of thelatter; and

"Fig. 8. is a-diagram showing the timed relation between the movement of certain parts "of the device in Figs. 1

and'Z.

Sincethe structure and operation of the printing device to which the invention refers are well .known from character in tabulators controlled by perforated cardsis well known. These machines comprise agreat'nuinbe r of printing wheels which are able to print a large number of characters onthe paper, at a relatively high speed.

A perfect alignment of these characters out-he printed line is rather diificult to obtain, and 'requiresgreat 'precision in the construction of the various :parts which constitute a printing device.

Means for ensuring the alignment of the, characters during the printing operation are welLknown in formerly used devices operating at'a reduced speed but the application of these known means to devices-builtgaccording to the aforementioned patents gives rise to difiiculties because of the construction and of 'thevery specialjway in which-these devices operate.

An object of the present invention is to provide a-printing device equipped with a number of type wheels'which during the printing operation are continually in mesh, through suitable gearing, with a'motor driven-shaft, this machine being equipped with alignment devices which strikalign the type wheels while said wheels execute the ing movement.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a, printing device, equipped withan aligning device for aligning a selected type to be printed of a type wheel, while said wheel is driven by the motor and while saidwheel executes a complex movement, Which results in the striking of said type on thepaper. 7

Other characteristics of the present invention will appear in the description :and in the appended drawings wherein: Figs. 1 and 2, taken together-and connected at the line X-'X, are avertical section of a printing device-of the kind to which the present invention relates;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a record card for controlling the operation of the device in Figs. land 2',

therabove mentionedpatents, it is merely necessary to give a summary of the description of this device.

Thetype 'wheel 21 (Fig. 1) is rotatable on an axle 22 which is fixed to a movable support 23, and is provided withgear teeth 24 on the periphery thereof driven constantly from a driving shaft 25, through the intermediary of-gear wheels 26, 27 and 28 which turn freely .on axles 30, .31, and '32 fixed on support '23.. Wheel 28 moreover, constantly meshes with a gear wheel '33, which rotates freely on fixed shaft '34. Fixed to wheel 33 is a concentric ratchet wheel 35 (Fig. 2), provided with '10 teeth, one of which is suppressed. Next to ratchet ,35, a sector 36 is swingably mounted on shaft 34 and has a .slot 37, in which axle 38 of a catch 40 may slide. To .catch 40 .is .linked a bar 41, as 40a, and the bar 41 may also pivot-on an axle 42, fixed to part 43, whichpart vin turnmay pivot around the fixed axle 44. vA bar 45 raised by the action vof cams, not shown, brings back ,part 43 .toits rest positionin which nose 46 is .caught by-nose 47 of lever 48, and in which position catch 40 is released from ratchet wheel 35, which is fixed with respect to gear wheel 33.

Lever 48, which may pivot around fixed axle 50,'is

.kept in its initial position by means of spring 51, and

is provided with arm 52 to which a rod' 53 is attached,

this ,rod being at its other extremity integral with an ex- .tension 53a of mobile armature 53b of a control electro- .m'agnet 53c which is energized at the desired moment by rection around shaft 34, by means of a spring'56, which keeps arm '57 of the sector applied against bar 58. This bar58-is also controlled by cams, notshbwn, and is moved'once for each machine cycle, through acertain A angle in the counterclockwise direction around shaft 34, :thereby causing the teeth 60 of sector 36-to pass before -nose-61 of lever 62. This lever 62 is pivoted on the fixed axle 44,- and includes an arm 6211 which is provided. with nose 62b (Fig. 2) the outline of which mingles with the outline of nose 46 of lever 43. Lever-62 hasgan arm 62c to its left (Fig. 1), the'extremity 62d, is of, arm 62cbeing situatedabove bar 63, and is drawn downward by spring Fig. 5 is an elevational view of an alignment device" 49. ;-.-Bar 63 which-is controlled'by-cams, not shown,

brings lever-62back .to its rest positionv at'jthe desired time (see'diagram B-Fig. 8) 'in which position its'nose-62b -on its right'hand end is caught by the nose .47 of'lever 48, -whichalso catches nose 46 of lever-43inits rest position. In this position, ,nose 61 comes out of the2teeth60 of sector 36; V 7

Support 23 carries on an axle 70, on which a roller 71 is'rotatably mounted for rolling engagement with a part'72 Patented Apr. 30, 1957 engagement with 3 integral with lever 72a. This lever which can pivot around a fixed axle 74 is acted upon by a spring 75 to engage a roller 73, mounted on lever 72a with a cam shaped shaft 76 (diagram A of Fig; 8).

To the left of support 23, Fig. 1, is a lever 77, which can pivot on fixed axle 78, and which under theaction of spring 80 engages a roller 81 on lever 77 against edge 23a of support 23 to urge the latter to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that roller 71 of this support is maintained in contact with part 72 of lever 72a. Support85 of lever 77 is integral with the frame of the device, and is provided with grooves 86, in which part 23b of each support 23 may slider Further, a stationary bar 87 is provided with grooves 87a, in which the lower extremity. 23c of support 23 may slide. .Each support 23 is provided with a first lug 88 which is disposed under the left' hand extremity 43a of the lever 43, and with another lug 89,

engaged in fork 90a of. a lever. 90 which ispivotally mounted on a fixed axle 91 carried by a stationary bar 910, which is attached to the frame. A bar 92 controlled by cams, not shown, returns support 23 to its lower rest position, by pressing against lever 90. at the desired time (diagram E-Fig. 8). -Driving shaft 25 turns in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1), and has gear teeth thereon meshing with gear wheels 28 which in turn drives gear wheels 33 and 27. A gear wheel 26 meshes with gear wheel 27 and the'gear teeth on typewheel 21, the several wheels and the type-wheel being drivenin the direction as indicated by the arrows on Fig. l. v

' This device generally used in record card controlled machines, is in this case controlled by timed pulses emitted by a card analysing device.

, The driving of shaft 25 (diagram 8)' is staph by a combina- The Bull alphabetical code provides in each. column (Fig. 3), a first perforation in one of the locations 9, 8,

"or 7; in combination with a second perforation in one of the locations from 6 to 12. 'When a card passes to the analysing station, which for several columns may include one 'row'of analysing brushes, an impulse isemittedfor each perforation analysed in a particular column-and is sent to the control electromagnet (53c) of the correspond- .ing' printing device. a

The movement of bar 58, Fig; 2 (diagram D Fig. 8)

tion locations 9 to 7 of the card, at the analysis station. The analysis of one of these perforations energizes electro- 43 to pivot, and bar 45 being lowered after location 6 has passed the analysis station, no longer prevents such pivot-- ing of the lever. When there is a pulse produced by a perforation at location 6, catch 40 engages with ratchet while the latter is at rest.

Immediately after the passage of perforation location 6 of the card before the analysis station, driving shaft 25' begins to rotate, thereby causing the teeth of ratchet 35 to pass before the nose of catch 40, in synchronism with the passage of perforation locations 5 to 12 of the card in front of the analysis station.

The analysis of a perforation causes the emission of a pulse which energizes electromagnet 53c, controlling the pivoting of lever 52 and thereby the freeing of lever 43' which then pivots to permit the engagement of catch with ratchet wheel 35. The rotatiomof ratchet 35 while the catch 40'is engaged therewith causes catch 40 to be displaceduntil stud 38 abuts against the extremity of slot 37 of sector 36 thereby to stopfurther' rotation of the ratchet and gear wheel 33. The moment whencatch 40 engages ratchet 35 and the previous positioning of sec tor 36, thereby determine during the machine cycle, the moment when the rotation of ratchet 35 and wheel 33 is stopped. It is to be noted that during the entire time during which the driving shaft 25 rotates, type wheel 21 rotates in a counterclockwise direction. From the moment when wheel 33 stops, the driving shaft 25 continues to rotate, and gear wheel 28 executes a rolling movement on gear wheel 33, while. its axle 32 as well as movable support 23, in which the axle is fixed, move upwards.

The type wheel performs a rolling movement which is similar to the movement undergone by gear wheel 28,

"is adjusted so that the teeth '68 of sector 36 pass in front 1 of nose 61, in synchronism with the passage of perforamagnet 530, which by its armature 53b-53a, "exerts.

a pull on rod 53, thus causing lever 48 to pivot in a clockwise direction, and thereby free levers 62 and 43. The extremity 43a, which is held at its upper position by bar 45(diagram C-Fig. 8), remains with its nose. 62b in the engaged position, while lever 62, the bar 63 being at this moment lowered, pivots in a counterclockwise 1 direction under the action of spring 49, so that nose 61 is engaged with a toothof sector 36 which is stopped at -a certain' position," corresponding to the-perforation analysed. If therehas been no perforation in any of the locations'9to 7," a perforation in one of the other locations of the column will cause the pivoting of'lever 62 in the same way but this will be without any effect, since sector .36 is raised to its extreme upper position with nose'57 maintained against bar 58 by spring 56, bar SS-b'eing" itself stopped in its upper position. A pulse caused by the analysis of'a perforation 6 to 0 or 11 or 12, causes lever the left hand side of the circumference of the type-wheel on a horizontal line passing through its axle 22, which is immobilized inthe upper position. 7

By providing an additional movement of the type wheel towards the paper the type located at the point of the wheel which is at this moment stationary, is printed on the paper carried by the platen F. Such additional movement is caused (Fig. l) by part 72, which forms an extension of a lever 72a and is engaged by the roller 71 on support 23 todrive the latter to the left, or toward the platen F, in response to upward movement of the support .23. When the printing is executed, roller 71 above the extension 72, and because of the action of spring on lever 77 which is provided with roller 81 engaging support 23, the latter, and with it the type-wheel, are displaced towardsthe right. Stud 88 which is located at the lower part of support 23, raises the extremity 43a of lever 43 which pivots clockwise, thereby disengaging catch .40 from ratchet 35, and locking the nose 46 of lever 43 under the latch 47 on lever 48, electromagnet 53c no longer being energized. Wheel 33 being freed, said wheel and type wheel 21 may again rotate freely, under the eaction of driving shaft 25. When the last perforation .location. of the card has passed the analysing station, bar

92 is lowered and brings back lever and therefore support 23 to its low position. This downward movement of support 23 accelerates the rotation of the type wheel.

Cam shaft 76 which rotates continually is at this moment in a position inwhichthe recessed portion 102 thereof is opposite the cam follower roller 73 so that spring 75 can pivot lever 72:: including the part 72, toward the right to an extent sulficient-to avoid contact of .the roller 71 with the part 72 during the return. ofsupport 23 to its initial or lowered position. c

Thus, for every tooth of ratchet 35 the ratchet may be stopped in any of four positionsJThree of these posi- Since the rotation Tangle. corresponding to the spaceof the teeth: 60 on sector=36,

the ratchet, ratchet 35 and gearwheel 33 ;-niay-be=.stopped in 36 difierent positions, each of the last mentioned positions corresponding to a type and to agear tooth of the type wheel 21. The rotation of gear wheel 28 and its vertical displacement (Fig. 4), when-wheel 33 is blocked are such, that a point C on the pitch circleof gear wheel 28 moves along a part of an epicycloid said part being that one in which the epicycloid leaves and engages the pitch circle. For-the part of the curve in question, this movement is infinitesimal, and is practically accomplished on a horizontal line. Assuming as is shown in Fig. 4, that the radius of all the gear wheels isR, and that the driving shaft 25 rotates through an angle a, and further discounting the efiect of the lateral displacement of the upper end of support 23 during ;the upward movement of the latter. Wheel 33 being blocked by catch 40,en-

gaged with a tooth of ratchet 35, a point aof wheel rotates around stationary pointC, and angle while travelling a distance a-b. The displacement d-v-ee of point d at the center of axle 32 is equal to "half the, displacement of point a, that is to say, axle '32 andsupport 23 which is attached to it are moved in an. upward direction the distance Point is displaced :by an angle andis also displaced a vertical distance equal to ,d8

thereby bringing point 1 to point g. By thismovement of wheel 28, wheel 27 performs a movementwhich composed of two separate movements. Wheel 2 7uturns by an angle thereby causing point m to be moved downwardsby distance d e, while point his moved upwards ;by the same 35 which is integral with wheel 33 is blocked at a determined moment in such a way that point PI of wheel 21 corresponds to the location of one of the types. In order to effect the striking movement of the type selected on wheel 21 towards platen F, a supplementary horizontal movement is imparted to the upperpart'of support 23 by part 72 which actuates roller 71-on support 23 in response to upward movement of the latter, so that point P of wheel .21 (Fig. 5), follows -the dotted line 'p p in order to strike at point p against the paper 151 which is carried by the platen F. The inking ribbon RE is located between all the type-wheels and the paper on the platen.

has .notches 138,-in' which catch levers 152 for efiecting the desired alignmentare engaged. :Each of these catch levers can pivot around anaxle153fixed in aslot of support 137. For-:each-type-wheel, a related catch lever 152 is provided. Since this device is similar {or each wheel, the device associated with one wheel only, is described.

The upperextremity of catch lever 152 forms a' nose 154 which is adapted for engagement in the teeth of the related type wheel -21. .The lower extremity ofcatch lever 152 is connected to one end of a spring 155, which isa-titsother endfixed the rod 156, integral with su'pport 137; oatch lever 1'52also includes afnotch 157 in which an extension of an axle 158 carrying a roller 159 is engaged, the roller 15? being loosely mounted-on axle 158 which-is integral with 'a lever 160; the operation of roller -159-is thesame as that'of the roller sl in-Fig. 1 in that, it. is also engageable with the part 23b of -the movable support {Lever160 can pivot around'an axle'; l61'which is fixed .in supportplate which "for eac'h lever ;1 60 has a notch 162 inwhich the rela'ted lever ;isconstantlyengaged and guided. Under notch 157, catch 152 has an extension 139, which is adapted for -striking againsta stop'164 when the catch piv'otsto the =right;-'-this s'topis adjustably mounted on support 137 by means of screw 165. The lower extremity of lever 160 is "attached toone end of a spring 166 which atits other end is'attachedto aplate -l67,"fi xed to plate 150, integral with-the frame. The-actionof spring 166 prevails over that ofspring 155. A sliding plate 168 is fixed in an ad- -justable manner 'by screw 170 to plate 150 integral with -"-the frame of the machine, and it limits the clockwise pivoting of lever 160. v

Notches=162 also" form guidesfor part-23b ofs uppo-rts 23 of the type wheels. A spring plate"172 is fixed to support 137 by' screws 173, and forms an extension 174' which is applied against each catch lever 152. The movements of the various points of type wheel 21 during the printing of a type areindicatedin Fig. '5. I

In Fig. '5', the gear wheels 28, 27 and 26 and the ty'-pe wheel 21 of Fig. 1 are shown. The reference 21a indicates the position of the wheel immediately after catch 40 (Fig. 1) has stopped wheel 33, at the point at which theupward movement of mobile support 23 begins.

When roller 71 of support 23 ,(Fig. 1) comes into contact with part 72, the upper part of mobile support 23 the-left at thesarne time as the unit rises.

During this leftward movement, part 231) of mobile support 23 exerts pressure against roller 159 (Fig. 5.). Lever 160 pivots towards theleft, around axle 161, in response to the pressure against roller 1'59 and catch lever 152, drawn by spring 155 pivots towards the right, around axle 153 to engage nose 154 of catch lever 152 and type wheel 21 which it carries, are projected towards "in the depression between two teeth of the type "wheel mg action. For this purpose, nose154 is kepteng-aged I between the teeth of wheel 21 by spring 155 acting fon lever .152 which follows the movement, pivoting around" axle 153. During thestriking action, the upper portion 1 0'1 mobile support 23 is v projected to the left, and axle In order to ensure lateral alignment of the impressions printed by the various type wheels of the printing machine, Ian aligning device (Fig. 5) is providedvi or each type wheel, which device is adapted to cooperate with theroller 81 of Fig. 1, and is mounted on asup-port plate :150 (Fig. 5) which is fixed to theframe of the machine.

158 of roller 159 leaves-notch 157 of catch lever li52,

when this catch lever is jengaged between the teeth of wh e-el 21,.but step 164 is intended for limiting,'-ifne'c- .essary, the amplitude of themovementofilever1160-ai1d Hthg cl'ockwise rotation of catch lever 152.

In Fig. 5, lare indicated approximately the relative movements ot-a "certain number of points of the mechanism, starting from the moment when gear wheel 33is 'blocked by engagement of catch 4t)with-ra1tchet:35,, un til he m m n Y c he t i i tion .on th a e Th m me t i st a d i F 1 s mr e a s' s p tion-of Fig/4, in which'theefiect'ofpart 72 on the sevwhich as is indicated in Fig. 4, is blocked, but on account of theleftward movement of theup'per part, of mobile support 23, axle 31 of gear wheel 27 actually passesfrom s to 2 (Fig; Axle 30 of gear wheel 26 passes from u to v, and point w on the perimeter of wheel 26, instead of going from W to W1 as has been indicated; in Fig. 4, goes to W27, underrthe combined action of the rotation movement of wheel 26, and of the leftward displacement of support 23. 'Axle 22 of typewheel .21 goes from 2:1 to x2, point y goes from yl to 2, and point 21 goes from z1,to.z2.,: s

' ;Point,P, goes from p1 to 22, where the selected type is printed on the paper 151. The aligning of the characters printed by the types of the several type wheels is ,eifected by the aligning catch levers 152, which in the example represented in Fig. 5 give a supplementary guidancetothe-related type wheels21, whenthe'following condition is realized. The arc of a circle AC concentric with the axle 153 and passing through the center of nose 154 of catch lever 152 intersects the pitch circle of the gear teeth of wheel 21 at point A1 when the wheel 21 is at its starting positionand during the striking movement of wheel 21, this point of the wheel goes to A2 which is also on the arc AC; because of this, when nose 154 of catch lever 152 is engaged with the teeth of wheel 21, said catch .7 lever follows the wheel in its'displacement and imparts a certain restraining movement on the wheel in spite of the play and difierences inthe construction of the mechanism. Screw 220 which is used for fixing support 137,

7 enables a precise positional adjusting of the pivoting axle .153 of catch lever 152.

- During the striking movement, axle 22 of wheel 21,

inpassing from position xl to position x2, Fig. 5, is displaced by an angle al with respect to axle 32 of gear wheel 28; this displacementassuming that wheel 21 earn a not rotate counterclockwise, as it is blocked bycatch 152,

amounts to a counterclockwise rotation of gear'wheel 2 8,

. ratchet.

" Fig. 6 shows a modification wherein a part 205 which includes an aligning nose 210 and a press roller 206 is arranged so as to pivot around an axle 215, which axle is itself mounted on a lever 200 which oscillates around anaxle 201. A spring 203 urges the lever 200 against theadjustable stop202. Roller 206 is kept engaged in notch 211 which is cut in the left hand edge 23b of support 23, by a spring 207 which is hooked to eye .208 of part 205, and also to eye 2090f part 200.

During the blocking of wheel 33 (Fig. 1), support 23 is'drawn upwards, and by this movement, roller 206 is ejected from notch 211 of edge 23b of support 23, therefore causing part205 topivot around axle 215. During this movement, nose 210 of part 205 advances towards type fwheel-Zl, and is engaged (Fig. 7) between two teeth of said wheel. As the movement of the upper part of support 23 continues towards the left, lever 200 is carried along-by said movement and therefore leaves stop 202. i When support 23 falls again, after the printing, lever 200 'again comes into' contact with' step 202, under the action of spring 203, then under the action of spring 207,

' nose'210'is disengaged from the teeth of type wheel 21, while roller 206 is kept by the same spring 207 in contact with edge 23b of support 23.

At the end of the downward movement of support 23,

' roller 206 again engages in notch 211 of part 23b in order tomaintain the support in its low position (Fig. 6). Q This mode of operation, which is simpler than the previous onealso provides a more favorable equalization for the displacementof point Al towards A2 represented in Fig.- 5, pivotingpoint 201 (Fig. 6) beingplaced lower 'thanpoint 153 (Fig. 5). The path followed by A1 is closer to a horizontal line so that point P does not tend to rise again during the striking action.

The examples described are in no way restrictive, and are used-only for the purpose of explaining how, according to the invention, a good alignment of types printed 'with typewheels maybe obtained, these wheels performing a complex rolling and translation movement towards the printing position. i 3

We claim: l g I l. In a printing'machine especially adapted for connection with a record controlled tabulating machine; the

combination of a stationary frame having a platen thereon, a movable type-wheel support in a position of rest opposite said platen, said support being adapted to move with a translatory motion with respect to said frame in a plane substantially. at right angles to said platen, a typewheel rotatably mounted on said support, said type-wheel having a plurality of types and gear teeth on the periphery thereof, a gear wheel rotatably mounted on said support, said gear wheel meshing with the gear teeth of said type-wheel and adapted to rotate in synchronism with said type-wheel, a continuously rotating shaft for rotatingsaid type-wheel and thereby successively moving the types past a printing position, means operative to movement of said support to pivot said aligning lever in a'direction away from the platen to engage said-aligning 'lever'with saidtype-wheel during said rolling movement of said type-wheel, resilient means to permit said aligning lever, when engaged with said type-wheel, to pivot in the opposite direction to follow the movement of the typewheel towards the platen to print the type in printing positiommeans to move said type-wheel and said support awayfrom the. platen after the printing of a type and means responsive torsaid last mentioned movement to pivot the aligning lever towards the platen away from the type-wheel into an initial position; g

2. In a cyclically operated printing device the combination of a platen, a movable assembly in a position of rest opposite said platen, said assembly comprising a carrier, 'a toothed type-wheel rotatably mounted on said carrier and a gear transmission on said carrier, a continuously rotating driving shaft adjacent said assembly,

said shaftfrotating through said gear transmission to move in the types of said typeswheel successively past a printing position, selecting means operative to stop said type-wheel with a selected type in printing position and to effect movementof said assembly by saidrotating shaft and said gear transmission out of the rest position of the assembly so thatsaid type-wheel turns around said selected type in printing position, meansiresponsive to the movement of saidassembly out of its rest position to move said type-wheel withsaid type in printing position towards the platen to print said type,means operative to move said type-wheel and said carrier away from the platen after the printing of a type and type-wheel aligning means including atoothed portion disposed in an initial position between said platenand said assembly, said aligning means being responsive to the movement of said assembly out of its rest position to movesaid toothed portion in a direction away from the platen towards said assemalign the type in printing position, said aligning means being further responsive to the movement of said assembly away from the platen after the printing of a type to return said toothed portion towards the platen to its initial position.

3. In a cyclically operated printing device the combination of a platen, a movable carrier in a position of rest opposite said platen, a toothed type-wheel rotatably mounted on said carrier, a continuously rotating driving shaft, a gear transmission between said driving shaft and said type-wheel, said driving shaft effecting rotation of said type-wheel to move the types of said type-wheel successively past a printing position, selecting means cooperating with said gear transmission to stop a type in printing position and to thereafter move said carrier out of its rest position in response to the continued rotation of said driving shaft so that the type-wheel turns about said stopped type, means responsive to said movement of said carrier out of its rest position to move said carrier with said type-wheel towards the platen, type-wheel aligning means including a toothed lever between said platen and said carrier, said toothed lever being pivotable about an axle maintained between said carrier and said platen in a substantial constant distance from said printing point, said aligning means being operated by said carrier when said carries is moved out of its rest position, toengage said toothed lever with said type-wheel, at a circumferential point which approaches said axle during said movement of the carrier with the type-wheel towards the platen in order to align said type, by restraining the movement of said point of the rotating type-wheel with relation to said axle.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a platen, analyzing means for analyzing record cards, a carrier in a position of rest opposite said platen, a toothed type-wheel rotatably mounted on said carrier, a gear drive including a continuously rotating shaft and a gear transmission for rotating said type-wheel to successively present the different types on said wheel at a printing position synchronously with the analyzing of a record card, positioning means controlled by said analyzing means in accordance with data on a record card to stop a corresponding type on said type-wheel in printing position and in cooperation with means included in said drive to move said carrier with the type-wheel out of its position of rest towards the platen, type-wheel aligning means including a toothed element in an initial position between said piston and said type-wheel, said aligning means being operated by said carrier when said carrier is moved out of its position of rest to move said toothed element away from the platen towards said carrier and into engagement with said toothed type-wheel, said aligning means further including first resilient means to permit said toothed element to move when engaged with said type-wheel in a direction towards the-platen, means opera tive to move said type-wheel and said carrier away from the platen after the printing of a type, and second resilient means included in said aligning means and responsive to said movement of the carrier away from said platen to return said aligning lever to its initial position.

5. In a cyclically operated printing device a platen, a movable carrier in a position of rest opposite said platen, a toothed type-wheel rotatably mounted on said carrier, a continuously rotating driving shaft, a gear transmission between said shaft and type-wheel for rotating said typewheel to successively move the types of said type-wheel past a printing position, means operative to stop a type in printing position and to move said carrier and said typewheel with said type in printing position towards the platen in response to continued rotation of said shaft, means operative to move said carrier and said type-wheel away from the platen after the printing of a type, aligning means including a type-wheel aligning lever pivotally mounted between said type-wheel and said platen and first and second resilient means, said aligning lever having a toothed portion adapted to engage said toothed typewheel, said aligning means being actuated by said carrier when said carrier is moved to pivot said aligning lever in one direction out of an. inactive position into engage- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V Knutsen Aug. 28,

1,971,860 1934 2,046,464- Knutsen July 7, 1936 2,046,465 Knutsen July 7, 1936 2,157,035 Torkelson May 2, 1939 2,199,561 Fuller May 7, 1940 2,386,422 'Beattie 1 Oct. 9, 1945 

